Shining laser pens at drivers could result in five years in jail under new laws being considered.
A legal ban on using lasers to target vehicles has taken a step forward.
The new offences would cover shining lasers at all vehicles on air, land and sea as current laws only cover malicious use in some situations.
The maximum sentence for those convicted is five years in jail.
Speaking at a Scottish Parliament committee, Transport Minister, Humza Yousaf said: "There have been an increased number of reported incidents in the deliberate misuse of laser pointers with consequences which could have been fatal.
"A man was jailed two years ago for shining a laser pen at a police helicopter flying over Glasgow in 2013."
He said since 2010 there have been 171 convictions under air navigation legislation and British Transport Police have reported 85 incidents per year between 2011-2016.
The Scottish Government is required to give legislative consent to the UK Government bill because of the wider definition of vehicle involved which partially covers devolved powers.
He said the Scottish Government supports the UK's Laser Misuse (Vehicles) Bill as a UK-wide approach is "sensible".
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